Lab Matters Summer 2016 | Page 37

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Laboratory Technicians Carey Johnson and Rachel Zygmontowicz perform analysis of bees using LC-MS / MS Laboratory Technician Erik Luvass working at the ICP

Vibrio parahaemolyticus ; shellfish growing water for fecal coliforms ; and riskier food products for Salmonella , Listeria and other pathogenic microbes . “ The food could be salsa , hummus or a locally-made salad ,” said Wickman . “ We ’ re not looking at produce from the field , unless there ’ s been a problem .” If the laboratory detects pathogens in a food item , it sends the culture to the state public health laboratory for PFGE analysis . Said Wickman , “ We don ’ t want to duplicate efforts .”

External laboratory clients are limited . But the Laboratory Services Program was the first US laboratory to do testing for foreign governments — including South Korea and Japan — to assure that unregulated US food exports , such as nutraceuticals , are safe to import . It also supports state and county public health programs , as needed .

We call ourselves the regulatory lab ,” said Wickman

Success Stories

Among the laboratory ’ s many successful investigations are two high-profile efforts that took place over the past couple of years .

• Initiation of a monthly testing program to monitor levels of domoic acid in shellfish at six sites along the Oregon coastline . The program was prompted by a particularly severe harmful algal bloom that stretched along the entire US West Coast in 2015 , producing unprecedented levels of domoic acid , a potent algal neurotoxin that accumulates in seafood as it moves up the food chain . In particular , the bloom threatened Oregon ’ s lucrative Dungeness crab fishery , which produced 8.2 million pounds of crabs in the 2014-2015 season with an estimated total harvest value of $ 33.8 million . The Laboratory Services Program tests for the acid in crab viscera ( also called “ mustard ”) where it becomes concentrated and has begun developing a history of domoic acid levels so it can more readily detect upticks .

• Testing bees for neonicotinoid insecticides — notably , dinotefuran and imidacloprid — during a series of massive bee die-offs in Oregon in 2014 . Laboratory data helped officials trace the source of the toxicants to ornamental linden trees that had been sprayed with the chemicals in violation of labeling laws . The ODA suspended the license of at least one tree care company and required the firm to cover tainted trees with shade cloth to keep bees away . And , in February 2015 , the ODA restricted the use of dinotefuran- and imidacloprid-containing pesticides .

Challenges

• Being proactive to meet clients ’ needs . “ We ’ re the lab for other ODA programs . As their requirements change , we experience the downstream impact , which makes it hard for us to be proactive since we don ’ t always get advance notice of changes . Being proactive also requires resources .”

• Equipment and facility maintenance and upgrades . Periodic state funding for equipment is appreciated but often insufficient . “ Maintenance is never-ending . And technology changes . I would like a stable replacement mechanism .” Similarly , HVAC and other parts of the 15-year old laboratory infrastructure are beginning to experience problems . “ After a while , everything starts getting old .”

• Keeping staff current . “ If [ staff members ] work every day just to process samples , there ’ s not a lot of time for continuing education . That ’ s a challenge .”

• Determining the impact of Oregon Measure 91 , which legalized the nonmedical cultivation and use of marijuana within the state beginning July 1 , 2015 . ( Medical marijuana has been legal in Oregon since 1998 .)

Goals

• To attain ISO 17025:2005 accreditation . The laboratory is well into the process of securing accreditation for sample pH and water activity measurement ( indicators of a sample ’ s ability to sustain microbial growth ) and for detection of priority pathogens , including Salmonella , Listeria , E . coli O157 : H7 and Staphylococcus .

• To “ stay relevant ,” in terms of testing technology .

• To “ improve on meeting our clients changing needs .” Said Wickman , “ There is always room for improvement .”

Laboratory Technician Sheri Roe checks the temperature of freezer Laboratory Technicians Tasha Johnson and Rafia Razzaque process pathogen tests